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Denver Nuggets beat Orlando, extend winning streak to three games

By Christopher DempseyThe Denver Post

Posted:
01/09/2013 09:36:37 PM MST

Denver Nuggets small forward Corey Brewer drives past Orlando Magic power forward Josh McRoberts (17) for a basket during the first quarter on Wednesday at the Pepsi Center. More photos.
(John Leyba, The Denver Post)

The Denver Post's Benjamin Hochman posts analysis, notes and more on this blog focussing on the Denver Nuggets.

Nuggets coach George Karl got chuckles from the peanut gallery known as the assembled media when, before Wednesday night's game, he described the Orlando Magic as the "best nine-loss team I've ever seen."

That nine-loss team, nine consecutive losses to be specific, made it no laughing matter at the start, knocking down shot after shot while limiting the Nuggets to one shot the majority of the time in a first quarter gone bad.

But the Nuggets figured it out, rallying for a 108-105 win at the Pepsi Center.

"We were shaken, snakebit, but our defense saved us," Karl said.

Denver extended Orlando's losing streak to 10 games. Orlando hasn't won since big man Glen "Big Baby" Davis went down with a shoulder injury after the Magic's game Dec. 19.

The Nuggets, meanwhile, have won three in a row after their Minnesota "stumble" Jan. 3. The Nuggets ran their home record to 12-2, and though not everything they put on the court is effective, fundamental or always pretty — free throws are an enormous problem (22-of-36 shooting Wednesday) — they have been able to keep winning during this pivotal month of January.

Something else the Nuggets have found is offense. After Memphis, the Clippers and Minnesota held them under 100 points, the Nuggets have averaged 110 in the past three games.

Denver's 14-4 run midway through the second quarter Wednesday took Orlando's 32-25 lead and turned it into a 39-36 advantage for the Nuggets.

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Corey Brewer scored 10 points in the spurt, injecting the team full of energy. He rarely settled for a jump shot, most everything going toward the rim.

Brewer also leaked out for fast-break opportunities that kept the Nuggets' pace high.

The result wasn't exactly contagious, but the Nuggets benefited. And others got into the act.

"Teams that play like they do give us a hard time in terms of how they move the ball and how they make cuts," said Andre Iguodala, who finished with 11 points and five assists. "You need those types of wins. We had to grind it out."

Ty Lawson had a solid game, quietly at first, but more obvious in the second half.

The Denver point guard, who earlier in the day proclaimed his full health from a sore Achilles tendon, finished with 19 points, 7-of-19 shooting from the field and eight assists. He didn't get into the lane as many times as Karl would like, but was in attack mode a lot and had a nice mix of inside and out, which aided his effectiveness.

Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried also finished with 19 points (7-of-10 shooting) and added 19 rebounds (nine on the offensive end). He also blocked two shots and made two steals.

Still, the Magic didn't go away. Orlando was looking for the knockout punch in the fourth quarter after holding the Nuggets to 17 points in the third to take a seven-point lead into the final period.

"I thought in the fourth quarter we showed a lot of urgency," Karl said. "I didn't expect anything but a fourth-quarter game, and we got it."

Sparked by a tightening defense and fewer mistakes on offense — although making a layup proved to be a struggle — the Nuggets chipped away until they took a 95-94 lead on two Andre Miller free throws with 4:16 left.

With 1:36 remaining, the score was 99-99. Lawson's basket and free throw with 1:27 left gave the Nuggets a 102-99 lead on the three-point play.

"A lot of our go-to (in the fourth quarter) had different faces and they were all pretty successful," Karl said.

Denver's win spoiled the return of Arron Afflalo to the Pepsi Center, where he played for the Nuggets the previous three seasons. Afflalo, who came into the game averaging nearly 18 points, was strapped with early foul trouble and never fully recovered. He finished with 12 points in 32 minutes before fouling out. His 3-point basket with 36.3 seconds left pulled Orlando within two points, but the Magic didn't have enough to win.

What you might have missed. The Nuggets outscored the Magic 22-9 from the free-throw line. ... Every Nugget except Evan Fournier had at least three rebounds. ... The Nuggets had 25 second-chance points on 18 offensive rebounds. ... Orlando blocked 11 shots, but also had 11 turnovers.

Final thought. There is plenty to shore up, but the Nuggets found a way to grind out this game.

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